Through fire and flame
by Corona 1
Summary: Margaret 'Maggie' Wilcox is a pyrokinetic. Captured by Hydra at the age of 13, she escapes their clutches at the age of 18. Follow her story as she joins Earth's Mightiest Heroes and learns to use her fire as a force for good. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! I've recently gotten into Avengers: EMH, and this story popped into my head. Hope everyone likes it!

For the record, this first chapter is in my characters POV. After that, it'll be third person.

Disclaimer: Any characters or settings that you recognize, I don't own. Unfortunately.

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The lights were flickering, almost in time to the blaring alarms as I ran through the corridors, searching for my escape. Behind me, I could hear the shouts of my pursuers, all armed with whatever weaponry they'd decided to use against me. All I knew was that I had to escape this hell hole.

My name is Margaret Wilcox, and I've been held here in this place since I was 13. I'm now 18. I'll let you do the maths. Why was I here? That's simple. I'm a pyrokinetic. For as long as I can remember, I've had the ability to manifest fire. Everything from lighting a candle to causing an explosion, although I never did the latter. A lot of people would think of it as being a pretty cool power, and I'll admit that I was one of them at first. When I witnessed the Human Torch using his fire once when I was about 10, I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I'd wanted to be just like him. That's not so now. As I aged, so my powers became harder to control. It probably had something to do with puberty or something like that, but I couldn't be sure. And quite frankly, I don't much care. All I know is that on the night of my thirteenth birthday, my fire went beyond my control while I slept, causing a house fire that killed everyone inside. Everyone, that is, but me.

Left alone in the world, I'd walked the streets, squatted where I could. I had no family in New York City. My life on the streets wasn't destined to last long, however. I don't know how these Hydra guys found out about me and my ability, but they did. I did put up a pretty good fight, using my fire to burn several of them (not to mention set a few storage crates aflame), but in the end, it was in vain. They captured me, knocked me out, and brought me here. They tried to control me, tried to harness my fire and use me as a weapon to do their bidding. I resisted, and tried to escape numerous times. Of course, I was always recaptured, and punished. Severely. I probably have the scars to prove it. But it didn't stop me. I learned to control my fire, and played the good little house guest, waiting for my next opportunity.

That opportunity came today. Don't ask me how, because I'm still wondering myself, but I managed to get away from my guards as they were leading me towards the lab. Torture chamber more like. I shuddered and pushed the thought aside. I needed to focus now; I couldn't let them capture me. Not again.

I didn't look back, I didn't need to. I already knew that the guards were hot on my tail. I skidded, nearly slipping over, as I rounded a sharp corner. I had to use my hands to push myself away from the floor before I continued running. That was when I made my mistake. I looked back. Not watching where I was going, I ran smack bang into something. The impact knocked me backwards. Rubbing my head, I looked at the imposing metal door. Great. I heard weapons being cocked behind me.

"Give it up, girl. There's no way you're escaping."

I looked down, eyes clamped shut. No, they were wrong. I was escaping. I couldn't stay here a moment longer. They must have taken my silence and lack of movement as a sign that I'd given up, because I heard them beginning to advance. I gritted my teeth, fists clenching as I felt the anger welling up inside me, felt the stirring of the flame. Any moment now, I was going to combust. They moved ever closer, I could almost feel them reaching out for me. No! They weren't taking me again! I turned quickly, letting loose a scream of frustration as the spark swelled and snapped, and I ignited. Through the curtain of flame, I saw them step back, their body language conveying their shock.

"No! You're not taking me again! I won't let you!" With a scream, I exploded. Five years worth of pent up fire ripped through the area of the building I was standing in, killing or seriously injuring all who were there. In the distance, I heard something being fired, heard explosions that were nothing to do with me. With that in mind, I concentrated on my immediate area, focused on burning my way out. However, the more I use the fire, the more energy I burn. One of the downsides to my ability.

Finally, I pulled it back, pushed it down. The damage was already done. I heard the creaking of the melting supports around me, felt the air as walls that were far older than they appeared burned down. The ceiling began to cave in around me as the walls were no longer strong enough to hold it up. I looked up just in time as a large piece of the ceiling crashed down towards me. With a scream, I dove out of the way, landing heavily on the ground. With an almighty creak, the heavy metal door broke from its melted hinges and toppled to the ground with a resounding crash. This was it! This was my way out! Pushing myself up, ignoring the exhaustion that plagued me, I ran out into the open air. I was free! Finally!

I didn't have the time to celebrate, however, as at that moment the last vestiges of adrenaline gave out and exhaustion won over my mind. I slumped to the ground, trying to fight off unconsciousness. It was a battle I wasn't going to win.

I was vaguely aware of the sounds of jet engines cutting through the cool night air above me, coming into land. I heard voices, though they seemed so distant. My vision blurred until everything seemed to be shrouded in mist. All I remember seeing was a white-blue light and a red and gold figure standing over me. After that, everything faded to black.

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Ok guys, I hope you enjoyed that. Sorry if it seems to advance quickly. This is only from my character's point of view, as I've already said. I'll elaborate and expand over the next few chapters. I just thought this served as a good introduction to my character. But hey, that's just me.

Let me know what you thought guys! Constructive criticism is appreciated. Flames will be ignored.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, thanks for the reviews guys. I wasn't expecting any so soon. I'm glad you're enjoying it already. Here's chapter 2

As I said in the last chapter, all chapters from here on in are in third person. If POV changes, I'll let you know.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd be as rich as Tony Stark.

. . . . . . Change in place.

"Normal talk"

:JARVIS talk:

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One hour earlier…

The atmosphere in the Avengers meeting room was thick with anticipation of the upcoming mission. In the centre of the circular table, the holographic image of an industrial complex added light to the room.

"Are you sure that's where they've set up their new base?" Tony looked up, his mask pulled up to reveal his face.

"According to Fury's Intel, not to mention the satellite images, yes. And from the looks of things, I'd say it was more of a research facility than a base."

"How can you tell from the image?" Tony glanced at the new speaker.

"Call it a hunch, Cap. The complex isn't really big enough to house a big operation, well, not one the size they seem to run. It does make good space for research, though what they're researching, I really don't know."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and shut them down before they can cause too much trouble!" Jan said, excitement clearly visible in her eyes.

"I'm with Jan. If Hydra are up to something, then I don't really wanna find out what it is." That signalled the end of the conversation. Within moments, those who were going on the mission had taken their places on the Quinjet. Or, in Tony's case, stood beside it. Minutes later, they were airborne.

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The landscape was a blur as they flew above it. Twenty minutes after setting off, the complex came into sight.

"Wow, why would they wanna set up a base in this dump?"

"Good question, Hawkeye. It's probably to avoid detection. I mean, who'd think to look for them in a run down complex like this." Hank replied, looking out of the Quinjet's wind shield.

"Sneaky. What do you think, Tony?"

"I'm with Hank. This is the last place SHIELD would think to look for them, or anyone else for that matter." They flew over the buildings, setting down nearby. The sounds of an alarm reached their ears.

"I think we've been detected."

"I don't think we have, Steve. My systems picked up on the alarm before we even flew over. The alarm is for something else."

"In that case, shouldn't we be doing something, you know, while they're distracted?"

"You're right Jan. Let's go!" They spread out, Tony and Jan taking off into the air. Clint and Steve ran through the gate and took cover as Hydra guards began firing on them.

"Took you guys long enough!" Clint smirked, letting loose a couple of trick arrows that exploded in a cloud of smoke. Steve took his cue and ran forward, blocking shots with his shield and knocking out guards who got close enough. The sound of Iron Man's repulsors split through the air, followed by explosions as flammables caught fire. Jan was having a whale of a time zapping guards with her stingers.

"They don't seem to be up to par today. They normally put up more of a fight than this. Not that I'm complaining."

"Yeah well, it's like Tony said, Clint. It seems to be more of a research facility than a base of operations," Hank responded. He grew in size, swiping away the guards that were attacking him with a hand.

Tony flew overhead, blasting the buildings with his repulsors, the aging metal and stone easily crumbling under them. There weren't nearly as many guards as he was expecting. It made him entirely too suspicious. Something didn't add up here. This was something that SHIELD could have handled themselves, so why did Fury ask for their help? Before he could dwell on the subject, his AI broke his train of thought.

:Sir, I'm picking up a large heat signature approximately twenty metres due west of your current position.:

"Put it on heat detection, JARVIS."

:Certainly sir.: The screen changed to multicoloured. The areas on fire glowed white, and the yellow shapes revealed his teammates and the Hydra guards. He turned west, scanning the complex. Sure enough, there was the heat source.

"What the…?" As he glided closer, he picked up on something at the centre of the blaze. The fire had nothing at all to do with him or the others, it was now clear to see why. At the heart of the fire stood a figure. It was impossible to tell from his current view whether it was male or female. As he watched, the fire began to die down, the orange and yellow glow of the heated metal all that remained of the blaze. Tony turned back to his team. They needed to know about this. They'd made short work of the buildings, many on fire and crumbling.

"Guys, I think I've found what they were researching." Without elaborating, he turned and took off towards the area of the unrelated fire. The others looked at each other and followed.

As Tony got there, the area was unrecognisable. The ceiling had caved in and the walls had crumbled. But that wasn't what he was focusing on. A figure was running from the scene, though they didn't make it very far. They'd probably ran only a few feet before stopping and slumping to the ground. He tilted his hands down, legs following suit, and came into land next to the prone girl. Bleary hazel eyes glanced up at him before slowly closing, her short brown hair sticking to her face thanks to the sweat. He heard the other Avengers shouting for him as he knelt beside her. His scanners easily picked up on her vitals. She was unconscious, but she was ok. Although her temperature had him worried. It was entirely too high. She looked to be around 18 years old. They'd have to get her to safety. Scooping her up, he turned as his teammates came over to him, his face plate retracting.

"Tony! What's…oh." Hank stepped past Jan and walked over to Tony. The girl lay still in his arms, oblivious to everything and everyone around her. He touched her forehead, frowning at her high temperature. He glanced at Tony, noting the concern in the billionaire's eyes.

"What happened to her?"

"No idea, though I think she has something to do with this destruction." He nodded to the now destroyed area they were standing beside.

"So, what are we going to do, take her to SHIELD?" Tony shook his head, a slight frown gracing his brow.

"No, I don't think so. I don't trust SHIELD to look after her properly. Especially if what I'm guessing happened is true."

"You think they're going to lock her up." It was a statement, not a question.

"Among other things. No, I think, until we know who she is and where she's from, she'll be safer with us."

"And if she turns out to be a Hydra goon?"

"If that happens, Steve, she won't get too far. Not with all of us around. And besides, something tells me she's not with them." Face plate once again covering his features, Tony took off with the girl in his arms, the others not far behind. He glanced down at the teenager, a little disconcerted that she hadn't so much as stirred yet.

"JARVIS, keep an eye on her vitals will you? Let me know if anything changes."

:Very good sir.: Landing in front of the jet, Tony waited for the others to catch up. Handing the girl over to Steve, he waited for the others to get ready to leave with prisoners in tow before taking off again. Below them, the old complex was now in rack and ruins, everything burning and crumbling, nothing left salvageable. Mission accomplished.

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There's chapter 2. Thanks again for reading guys. I'll try and get updated as often as I can, but I won't make promises. Constructive criticism is appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey all! Thanks everyone for the story alerts and favourites. This started out as a random idea, and I'm glad that so many of you are enjoying it.

Ok, this chapter is a bit shorter than the last two. I'll try and keep updating regularly, but I won't make promises. But enough with the small talk. On with the story.

Disclaimer: If I owned the Avengers, I'd be richer than Tony Stark.

. . . . . . . . . . Change in place

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Almost as soon as the Quinjet entered the hangar, the Avengers, bar Ironman, disembarked, the unconscious girl in Steve's arms. Tony had opted to deliver the villains to SHIELD, and have a word with Director Fury. Steve grimaced a little. He didn't want to be in Nick's shoes right about now. The Captain glanced at the teenager in his arms as they made their way to the elevator. She still hadn't stirred.

"So, what do we do with her? Keep her in the Mansion? Take her to a hospital? Tony wasn't exactly clear on what he wanted to happen."

"I think it'll be best to keep her here for now Steve, until he gets back." Hank replied. Hawkeye smirked.

"Yeah, and if she get's any worse, we can always call Thor's paramedic girlfriend round."

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Director Nick Fury stood at the main window of the Helicarrier, hands clasped behind his back. He was quiet, and appeared to be waiting for something. Agent Maria Hill stood nearby, attempting to work out what was going through the Director's mind. Her own train of thought was derailed as the doors were rather violently pushed open, allowing a very irritated Ironman into the area. Hill immediately went for her gun, stopping only when Fury turned and held up his hand to her.

"I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Cut the small talk, Fury! Mind telling me what that was all about?" Ironman all but marched towards the intimidating form of the Director, completely ignoring Hill.

"SHIELD had learned that Hydra were researching weaponry. I sent you in to dismantle their operation. End of story."

"Yeah right. You and I both know that SHIELD could've handled that mission. You already knew that the big guns weren't going to be there, so why ask the Avengers for assistance? What aren't you telling me, Fury?" The two men stared at each other, neither one willing to back down. After a moment, Fury turned his attention to the female agent.

"Hill, leave us a moment."

"But, sir…"

"That's an order." Sighing, the brunette glared daggers at Tony's back before turning and leaving them to it. He waited a moment, then turned back to the irate superhero.

"Now, what do you want to know?"

"You know damn well what, Fury!" He nodded, turning back to the window.

"Alright. The reason I called you and your team in is simple. SHIELD had picked up Intel that Hydra were building their own super soldiers. Nothing like Captain America, but certainly enough to cause some real damage. I'll admit that I wasn't totally sure just how far they'd gotten in their plan, and I wasn't about to send my agents into something I wasn't sure that they could handle."

"So you decided to send us in instead, is that it?"

"Pretty much." He sighed, turning back to Tony. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Stark. You've got the bigger guns, and your team were the best choice for the job."

"You're still hiding something, Fury." He stepped closer, his posture intimidating, voice dropping threateningly. "I will find out what it is, one way or another." They glared at each other for a beat, the tension all but palpable. Finally, Tony turned and began walking away. Fury called after him.

"Stark. Look after your new house guest. She may be useful." Tony glanced back at him, thousands of retorts flashing through his mind. Deciding he wasn't in the mood to play Fury's mind games, he stormed out of the room. Fury watched from the window as a red and gold comet streaked away from the Helicarrier.

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"I'm guessing the meeting went well." Tony glared at the archer as he entered the mansion in civilian clothes, having made a detour to Stark Tower to change, his attire consisting of black trousers and his favourite maroon shirt. Ignoring the sarcastic comment, he turned to Hank. Sensing a scientific conversation, Clint left to join Hulk and Thor in the training room.

"How is she?"

"She seems ok, but I'm still worried about her temperature. Nothing seems to bring it down, but it hasn't increased either." Tony nodded. He had a hunch about that, but he didn't want to share his thoughts until he was sure.

"Where is she now?"

"Steve put her to bed in one of the spare rooms. She's completely out of it."

"Do we know anything about her yet?"

"Nothing yet, except she's about 18 years old. JARVIS can't seem to find a file on her."

"It's likely that Hydra wiped any files on her, make her untraceable." They were silent for a moment.

"What did Fury have to say?" Tony sighed.

"The usual BS about how SHIELD wasn't equipped to deal with the mission, blah blah blah." Hank turned his attention to the billionaire. He knew there was more to it than that, but he also knew when to push Tony for information, and when to leave well alone. This was definitely time for the latter. Tony would reveal more if and when he chose to.

"So, what do we do?"

"Easy. We wait for our guest to wake up. Then, we all have a chat."

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Ok, there's chapter three. Hope you all enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed the Fury/Stark interaction. Hopefully I kept everything in character.

Anyway, thanks for reading guys!


	4. Chapter 4

Here's chapter 4. Hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Still don't own.

. . . . . . Change in place

:JARVIS talk:

_Thought_

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Maggie shifted under the duvet, sighing in contentment as her head sank further into the soft pillow. It was bliss, all warm and snugly in a nice, comfortable bed…Wait a minute…Her eyes snapped open and her head shot up, immediately looking around at her new surroundings. Where was she? She frowned as she sat up further, scratching her head. Was this some kind of trick? The teenager looked at everything, taking it all in. The walls were a comfortable cream, and a neutral brown carpet covered the floor, so it wasn't her cell, or the laboratory. Or anywhere she'd seen on the base for that matter. It was plain, but welcoming. Her frown deepened as she tried to recall what had happened. Oh yeah! That's right! She'd managed to escape from Hydra! She'd actually managed to make it outside of the base! She'd burned up most of her energy doing it, so she knew she hadn't managed to run very far. But still, she was outside the base! Or was she? Was this all part of some complex plot to build up her hopes, only for Hydra agents to come in and destroy everything? No. No, this didn't feel like something Hydra would do. It was too obvious, too see through. Not to mention the fact that she'd heard the explosions. Something had happened to the base that night, that much she was aware of. There must have been some kind of fight, or accident, or something.

What if she'd been rescued? Did she really dare to build up that much hope? Maggie had only managed to keep her sanity and her will intact for the past five years because she dared to hope. She closed her eyes and gripped her head. She groaned, feeling the start of a headache coming on.

There was something else. Before she fell unconscious, she saw someone standing over her. Who was it? Just her imagination, perhaps? Probably. It was a pretty realistic figment of her imagination, though.

Sighing in irritation, she threw off the blanket and swung her legs out of the bed, her feet dropping to the floor. She smiled at the feel of carpet beneath her toes. It was a damn sight better than cold, hard concrete. She looked herself over where she sat. She was still in the dowdy grey garb she'd been forced to wear. Nose crinkling in disgust, the teenager pushed herself up and stretched, wincing as her joints cracked. Maggie looked around her immediate vicinity, noticing a clock on the bedside cabinet. 8:00 am. No date. _How long was I out?_ Shrugging away the thought, she turned to the door. Did she dare to see what was behind it? Yes. Yes she did. Creeping towards the door, she cracked it open and peeked outside. It didn't look like there was anyone around. Pulling the door open further, Maggie stuck out her head, looking this way and that. Several other doors lined the cream coloured corridor. Her curiosity peaked, Maggie left her room and began to wander.

This place was huge! It would be easy to get lost here. She looked up at the various paintings that hung on the walls, quickly losing interest as she wandered further. Soon, she came out into the foyer. She gasped, looking over the banister to the ground below. The floor was an impressive black and white marble, and columns lined the walls at regular intervals. Beaming, she made her way to the stairs and climbed down. Her bare feet padded along the cool marble surface. Who ever owned this must be very rich. So rich, in fact, that she felt quite unimportant. She shuddered a little, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort.

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Tony sat in the meeting area, carefully going over the readouts he'd recorded from the mission the night before. He cocked his eyebrow at the image on the holographic display in front of him. It was the same one he'd puzzled over before, the one of the figure in the heart of the fire. Could this have been the girl? Was she really pyrokinetic, or was it a glitch in his systems? And what had Fury meant when he'd said that she could be useful? His train of thought was abruptly broken as his AI interrupted the rare silence.

:Pardon me, sir, but it appears that our young guest is awake and is currently exploring the building.: Tony looked up as JARVIS brought up the live feed. He watched as the teenager walked aimlessly around the ground floor area. She wasn't really looking at anything in particular.

"Alright JARVIS, I'm on my way. Is anyone else awake yet?"

:Yes sir. Mister Rogers and Doctor Pym are both awake.:

"Alright, have them meet me on the ground floor. Just in case."

:As you wish sir, though if you want my opinion, she doesn't seem to be that much of a threat.:

"Appearances can be deceiving. Just alert them, will you?"

:Of course sir.: Tony rolled his eyes slightly, almost wishing he hadn't designed JARVIS so he could express thought. It made the AI quite argumentative at times. He sighed and made his way to the elevator. It was time they had a word with their new houseguest.

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Steve sat with a towel draped over his shoulders, taking a moment to relax after his morning workout. He sighed and stood from the bed, stretching. His peace and quiet were interrupted, however, as JARVIS contacted him.

:Excuse me, Mr Rogers. Our guest is awake. Mr Stark has requested you join him on the ground floor, in case there is a problem.: Steve nodded at the disembodied voice, still perturbed by it. It was something he didn't think he'd ever get used to. Shaking the thought away, he pulled on his suit and picked up his shield. It never hurt to be prepared.

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Hank sat reading in his room. He'd found that ever since joining this team, it had been easier to read early in the morning than at any other time of the day. The reason was simple: they were normally too busy saving the world during all other times of the day. He sighed, sinking further into his chair. It was times like this he enjoyed the most. Quiet, calm, serene even. No violence, no fighting, no quarrelling. Just peace.

His peace was disturbed, however, as the mansion's AI contacted him.

:Excuse me, Dr Pym, but our guest is awake and is wandering the building. Mr Stark has requested that you meet him on the ground floor, just in case.: Hank sighed.

"Thanks JARVIS. I'm on my way." So much for peace and quiet.

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Maggie was so lost in her exploration that she didn't realise that she'd made her way through to the kitchen area. She stopped and gawked at the immense space that greeted her. Entering, she smiled as she looked around, her feet padding against the tiling. This was the biggest kitchen she'd ever seen! And that refrigerator! She made her way over to it, placing her fingers on the handle. Did she dare? This was someone else's home, after all. She chewed her bottom lip, indecision plaguing her mind. For the past five years, she'd made do with whatever she'd had. She'd learned the hard way not to complain about what she was given, or she got nothing at all. She swallowed a little, pulling her hand away. No, she didn't dare. She would wait until she had permission, or something.

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"So where is she? She could be anywhere by now. And if she really is a Hydra agent, that'll mean trouble."

"Yes, Cap, I'm fully aware of that. JARVIS?"

:She has made her way to the kitchen, sir.:

"Thank you." Tony turned to his fellow Avengers. "That answer your question?"

"Well, c'mon then. Let's go and talk to her." Hank glanced at the other two, both of them seeming to have opted to suit up. He was the only one in civilian clothing. He sighed, following the two. This could all go very well, but it could end spectacularly badly.

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Maggie started and whipped around at the sound of footsteps coming towards her. She hurriedly looked for somewhere to hide, experience telling her that she could face punishment for being here. There was nowhere but the table, and she felt stupid to even consider hiding behind it. No, if she was going to be punished, then she was going to damn well make it worth her while. She couldn't deny that she was scared though. Backing away until she hit the wall, she clenched her fists, readied her fire and waited for whatever was coming her way.

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Bit of a longer chapter this time. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the wait everyone, this chapter was giving me some trouble. I'm still not overly happy with it, but after five drafts, this was the best of them. Hope you enjoy it. Fell free to tell me if there's anything you feel I should change. I'm always open to suggestions.

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to the owners.

. . . . Change in time

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As they approached the kitchen entrance, Tony faltered. Steve and Hank stopped behind him, sharing a questioning glance.

"What is it?" Hank asked. There was something wrong. Why else would Stark stop?

"I think our pyrokinetic guest is about to…Whoa!" He didn't have time to finish the sentence, as, the moment he spoke, a fireball shot through the doorway, hitting the far wall before dissipating, leaving behind a scorch mark.

"…attack," Tony finished.

Hank and Steve immediately took cover while Tony took to the air as another two fireballs followed the first one. A moment later, the teenager ran through the doorway, barrelling past them in a state of panic. The three Avengers took action, if only to stop the girl before she ran into trouble. They gave chase, calling for her to stop. Tony was the faster of the three, thanks to his repulsors jets, and easily caught up with the girl. At the sound of his approach, she turned and fired a stream of fire at him. He dodged it, lamenting the fact that the ceiling was now scorched. More decorating. The short lived chase ended when he swooped down and grabbed her arm, halting her progress. She shrieked, swinging round to hit him, only to have her other arm caught in his solid, yet surprisingly gentle, armoured grip. She shrieked again, frantically pulling at her arms, trying desperately to free them.

"Let me go! Let go! Let go!" He would have freed her at once, if it hadn't been for her current state of hysteria. There was no telling what she would do. Especially since the commotion had finally drawn the other Avengers, with the exception of Hulk, running (or flying in Wasp's case) to their location. They cast a questioning glance to Steve and Hank.

"Calm down! We're not gonna hurt you!" She wasn't listening to him, simply fighting all the harder against him. Hank tried to approach, but knew that ultimately, talking to her would have no effect. She was too caught up in her panic to actually pay attention to what they were trying to say. That, and she had suddenly burst into flame, the intense heat causing Tony to let go of her with a yelp. As soon as the fire had started, however, it died, the exhausted teenager slumping to the now smouldering ground. The Avengers were silent for a moment. Hank was the first to respond, immediately dropping to his knees next to her and checking her vitals.

"What the heck's been going on here?" Hawkeye asked finally.

"Long story short, she panicked." Tony responded, retracting his faceplate.

"Really? Well, if this was her panicking, I'd hate to see her mad." The now normal-sized Jan answered the archer with a thump to the shoulder, shooting him a glare.

"What? What'd I say?" he asked offended, rubbing his arm. She simply ignored him, turning her attention to the scientist.

"Is she ok, Hank?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm no medic, but I'd say she's just worn herself out so much that she's knocked herself unconscious. Help me get her back to bed. She's needs rest." Tony stepped forward.

"I'll take her. I'll have JARVIS keep an eye on her and alert us the moment she wakes up."

"Good idea. But, when she does wake up, I'll talk to her. Hopefully I can make her see that she's not in danger here." Tony nodded to the scientist, knowing that Hank was the best man for the job. He was, after all, the least likely to go in all guns blazing and demanding answers. Well, besides Panther. Tony scooped the limp pyrokinetic into his arms. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the state she was in, mentally kicking himself as he walked away from the group. It had been a stupid idea to grab the panicking girl. Of course she was going to react the way she did, waking up to a houseful of strangers in a strange place. It served to somewhat prove that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't working for Hydra, though the thought never left his mind.

The other Avengers looked around at the small amount of fire damage caused by the teenager. It was nothing that couldn't be sorted out with a lick of paint and new carpet. Hawkeye stretched, now bored with standing around and surveying damage he hadn't helped cause.

"Well guys, party's over. I'm going back to bed. Wake me when it's morning or there's a major catastrophe."

"Hawkeye, it's already 9am," Panther pointed out.

"Exactly. Too early." With that he left. Jan followed close behind Hank and Thor, leaving only Panther and the Captain.

"Well, Tony was right about one thing at least. She's definitely a pyrokinetic."

"Indeed. Let us hope that she is on our side and not working for our enemies." Steve shook his head.

"I'm not so sure that she is. The way she reacted, flying into a blind panic the way she did…She seems more victim than villain."

"Perhaps. Time will tell." With one final glance at the scorch marks, they also left to go about their daily business.

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Maggie groaned and came to almost an hour later. Cracking her eyes open, she noticed that she was in the same room as before, in the same bed as before. This time, there was something different. She felt worse than she had before, with an aching head and feeling like she could easily sleep for a week. _I shouldn't have flared_, she thought. The teenager had known that she still hadn't fully recovered from her escape, having used up a lot of her energy when she'd exploded the first time round. This little stunt had probably set her back a bit. She sighed, pushing herself up the bed to rest her back against the head board. Her tired thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at her door. Looking over to it, she watched as it opened, allowing in a slim, kind looking man with dark blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She shifted, watching him as he entered.

"Hello there. How are you feeling?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Not brilliant, but I'll survive, I guess." He nodded and sat in a chair Maggie hadn't noticed before.

"I think we all got off to a bad start earlier," he said after getting comfortable. "I'm Dr Hank Pym."

"Maggie Wilcox."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Wilcox." She smiled back at him. She liked this guy, this doctor. She frowned a little as confusion set in.

"Dr Pym, where am I exactly?"

"This is Avengers Mansion, situated in New York City. It's our primary base of operations."

"Base of operations?"

"That's right. We're collectively called the Avengers. You can thank Jan for the name, she came up with it."

"Avengers?"

"Well, I'm guessing from the look of confusion that you don't know who we are." She shook her head. He nodded in understanding. "I see. Tell me, Maggie, how long were you with Hydra?" She paused for a moment.

"I was never 'with' Hydra. I've been their prisoner for about five years." She emphasised 'prisoner'. It was Hank's turn to frown.

"Five years?" She nodded. Well, that explained some things, such as not knowing who they were. "Mind telling me how old you are, Maggie?"

"I'm 18." His frown deepened. He didn't need to be a genius to work out the maths. He shook his head and cleared his throat, clearly struggling with the information for whatever reason. 13 years old when she was taken captive. What about her parents? He would have asked, but he saw her stifled yawn. With a smile, he stood.

"I'll let you rest, Maggie. You've had a trying time. When you feel up to it, I'll introduce you to the rest of the team and we'll talk some more. I'm sure we both have questions we'd like to have answered." Maggie nodded, scooting back down the bed as Hank opened the door.

"Dr Pym? I'm sorry about earlier. I guess I freaked out and…"

"It's alright Maggie. Like I said before, I think we all got off to a bad start. For now, sleep well." She smiled, lying down as the door closed. Now that the panic had gone, Maggie felt much more relaxed in her new surroundings. As her eyes drooped, she smiled to herself. Things were finally beginning to look up.

* * *

Well, there you have it. As I said, I'm not overly happy with it, but this is the only direction it seemed to want to go.

Thanks for reading guys!


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, I'm so glad that so many of you are enjoying this.

Before I continue with the story, I've been asked what Maggie actually looks like. I confess that sometimes I forget to actually describe my characters properly, maybe giving a mention to their hair colour and eye colour here and there. So, here's a brief description of my character:

Maggie is, as I've established, an 18 year old. She's a couple of inches taller than Jan, with short brown hair that reaches her chin in a messy sort of bob. She has hazel (brown-green) eyes. She's quite slim and pale, as is to be expected after five years of captivity out of the sunlight, but once she's healthy again, she's a normal build, about size 12. (UK size, I'm not sure what the US sizes are).

I hope that helps guys, and I apologise once again for leaving it this long before describing her.

Also, I just want to apologise in advance if anyone seems a bit OOC. I'm trying to keep everyone in character as far as possible, but just in case, here's my apology.

Ok, that's enough of the . On with the story.

Disclaimer: Only Maggie belongs to me.

, , , , , , , Change in time

* * *

Maggie stretched and sighed, feeling much better than she had done before. Her headache had gone and she felt well rested. Sitting up, she looked around at the room she occupied, smiling to herself. This was a new start for her, away from the guilt and the grief she had lived with for the past five years. Yes, she would always have guilt over what had happened on the night her parents had died, but she'd accepted that it hadn't been her fault. She shook her head with a frown. _Nope, not gonna think about it._ She threw off the blanket and all but jumped from the bed, a new wave of excitement washing over her. The teenager found that she couldn't wait to start the new day, with people she now knew weren't going to hurt her or use her as some kind of experiment or weapon. Her short lived conversation with Dr Pym only a couple of hours previous was proof enough for her. Anyone that nice couldn't possibly be working for people like Hydra. Shaking her head, she pushed the thought away. She wasn't going to think about the past, not now. It was time to move on, to begin a new life…

And to find something to eat, if her growling stomach was anything to go by. Patting her tummy, she shushed it as if it were an unruly child and turned to the door. She pulled it open and exited all in one hurried movement…only to narrowly miss colliding with another woman.

"Yikes!" Maggie jumped back quickly, clumsily tripping over her own feet. The only thing that stopped the teenager from going over was the fact that the other woman had grabbed her hands to steady her.

"You ok?" Maggie nodded, blushing in embarrassment as she got her balance. One look at the older woman's humour-filled blue eyes, and the teenager began laughing. Jan wasn't far behind.

"I'm Janet, but you can call me Jan. Or Wasp. Whatever you like."

"I'm Maggie. Just Maggie." The teenager took Jan's proffered hand and shook it.

"Good to meet you finally Maggie. The past couple of times we've met, you were unconscious." Maggie simply smiled, unsure of what to say. Jan seemed to have noticed and quickly changed the subject. Well, Maggie's stomach did. Jan laughed.

"Hungry?" The teen's face brightened at the prospect of food.

"Starving!"

"C'mon, let's get you something to eat. And something to wear, 'cause that outfit is so unflattering." Maggie found herself laughing, and followed after Jan.

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Maggie really liked the older woman, immediately seeing her as an older sister type. Her smile had faltered a little on their journey to the kitchen when she'd spied the scorch marks along the walls and floor that signalled her first encounter with the group. Jan was good at distracting her though; recounting whatever humorous stories she could think of. By the time the two had reached the kitchen, they were well acquainted. The teenager did hesitate slightly when she saw that the area was occupied by someone else. But only briefly. She followed Jan in, looking over at the seated man. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with slicked back black hair and intelligent brown eyes. Where had she seen him before?

"Morning again, Tony. Look who I found up and about." He looked up, greeting the two. "Where're the others?"

"Hey Jan. Hank's in his lab, no surprise there. Cap and Panther are in the training room. Thor's out somewhere, probably with Jane, and Hawkeye and Hulk are lounging around by the pool last time I checked." His eyes passed to the teenager next to her. She seemed a little shy of him, but there was something about the way she held herself. Not quite challenging, just…feisty. How to bring that out? He smiled inwardly. He had his ways of bringing people out of their shells, his favourite method being the use of nicknames. Of course, it irked a lot of people when he did, especially if he made it clear that he didn't like them. But hey, they were a good Litmus test for someone's personality. All his observations and thoughts passed by in a matter of seconds.

"Morning, Fireball. Did you sleep ok?" Ok, so not the most imaginative name he could think of, probably something Hawkeye would call her, but he preferred to have a kitchen and not a pile of ash. And from her frown, it had been the best idea not to use some of the more irksome names he could easily thin up. Besides, she seemed to let it pass, though her tone was slightly clipped.

"Yeah. Thanks." Jan simply smiled and shook her head at the billionaire before nodding to a vacant seat. Maggie took the hint and sat down, shifting awkwardly as she watched both adults. Jan laid a hand on her shoulder. The teen glanced up and smiled.

"I'll get you something to eat. Anything in particular?" She shrugged.

"So long as its food, I'm not fussy." She caught the smirk on Tony's face and frowned a little again. He ignored it.

"Can't even promise its food if Jan's cooking it." He winked at the teen, knowing for a fact that it was going to get a response from the woman. She turned and placed a hand on her hip, her face frowning but her eyes playful.

"Oh yeah, coming from the guy who took two hours to make an omelette?" Tony held his hands up. Damn Pepper for telling Jan that.

"Hey, in my defence, I was on a jet at the time. I'd love to know you're excuse." Jan grinned and shot Maggie a wink. She walked over to the counter. Maggie simply looked between them, not sure if she wanted to ask.

"So, Hank tells me your name's Maggie." It wasn't a question, more an icebreaker. The teen nodded after a moment. It had been a sudden change in subject, taking her by surprise. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat again.

"That's right. Maggie Wilcox." He smiled, making plans to research her name later. For now, introductions.

"Tony Stark." Maggie's eyes widened in shock, looking over at the man.

"Tony Stark? **The **Tony Stark? As in Stark Industries Tony Stark?" He nodded with a smile. She pushed her hands through her hair. Now she felt like kicking herself. Of course he was Tony Stark! There was no mistaking the handsome face that had so often graced the pages of the celebrity magazines her mother used to read. She looked down at her horrid grey clothes with greater distaste than before. He cocked an eyebrow. Surprised silence wasn't the reaction he was expecting. He wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting, but this wasn't it.

"You seem shocked." She blinked, then blinked again.

"Shocked? I'm past shocked! I'm sitting at a breakfast table with Tony freaking Stark! Who wouldn't be shocked?" To his credit, Tony laughed. And so did Jan, though she was trying to hide it. Her shoulders were still visibly shaking.

"I didn't realise I was still that big a deal to teenage girls." He winked at her again, causing a blush to creep across her face. She laughed as well, simply at the sheer craziness of it all, and how stupid she'd sounded just now. Who knew that her new life would entail rubbing shoulders with celebrities?

"Wow. This is…wow. Just…wow…" Tony chuckled, stretching and reclining back with a smug expression.

"Yep, still have the power to knock pretty girls speechless."

"Get over yourself Tony. Let the poor girl get accustomed to everything BEFORE you start smothering her with your ego," Jan said, slapping him on the arm as she brought the teenager her sandwich. He was laying it on for the teen's benefit, that much she knew. Jan knew that this one of his many ways of testing people.

"Sorry it's not much. Loath to admit it though I am, Tony's right. I don't really excel at cooking." Maggie simply smiled before digging in. "Whoa, hey slow down there. You're gonna choke if you eat it like that." Maggie swallowed her mouthful before smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, but this is pretty much the first proper food that I've had that actually has flavour to it, you know? Besides, flaring always builds up an appetite." Tony and Jan exchanged glances.

"Flaring?" Maggie nodded, swallowing another mouthful.

"That's what I call it when I completely ignite. I call it flaring, 'cause it doesn't last long but it can be pretty intense."

"Yeah, I felt that." Maggie paused in biting more of her sandwich and looked at him.

"The guy in the armour…that was you?" She seemed incredulous.

"That was me. Wait, you don't know who I am?" She shook her head with a frown.

"You mean aside from being Tony Stark? No." It was Tony's turn to be shocked. Jan raised an eyebrow.

"But, I thought everyone knew. He's Iron Man." Maggie glanced between them, brows knotted in thought.

"I heard the guards mention names and things, but I don't actually know who everyone is, apart from Captain America. His was the only name I recognised. And Jan's already told me that she's Wasp." She paused. "So, you're Iron Man? Well, at least I know that now." Jan smiled a little as Maggie raised the sandwich to take another bite. Tony simply frowned in thought as they sat in silence.

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Minutes passed before any body said anything further, something that Maggie was grateful for. It gave her chance to finish her meal. Jan had brought over a couple of cups of coffee for her and the teen, seeing as Tony already had one. Maggie, who'd never really tasted proper coffee before, found she enjoyed it immensely. Tony waited until she'd drained the cup before continuing their conversation. There were things he wanted to know, and only the teenager could answer his questions.

"Hank told us about what was said between you earlier this morning. He said that you'd been a prisoner of Hydra for five years." Maggie lowered the sandwich, simply looking at the plate. She sighed. She should have known that the conversation was going to turn to this particular topic. _So much for letting go of the past._

"Yeah." She felt a hand rest over hers, looking into the dark blue eyes of Jan. She smiled a little in gratitude. The billionaire leaned forward, resting his arms on the table and touching his fingers together, tip to tip. Jan took over.

"What did they want?" Maggie glanced at them both.

"I don't really know. All I know is that they were trying to find out how to control my fire. Or something like that. I think I heard them mention something about making super soldiers, but then they never said any more than that when I was around." Tony hummed.

"Smart move. They didn't want you to find out too much in case you escaped and told someone." Maggie shrugged.

"I guess so." They fell silent. Jan frowned a little, hating the change in mood.

"Ok, this is getting way too serious. Can't we change the subject or something?" Maggie smiled in gratitude. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about, not now anyway. Tony simply smiled and pushed his seat away, standing in one fluid movement.

"Tell you what, I'll leave you girls to it. There're some things I want to sort out." As he walked past, he patted the teenager on her shoulder. "By the way, Maggie. Welcome to Avengers Mansion." With that, he left. She shrugged and turned to the woman, noticing her smile.

"So, Maggie, want me to give you the grand tour? You can meet the rest of the team. And then, I'm going to see if I have anything that you can wear other than that ugly grey thing. And then…" her voice betrayed her building excitement, "you and me, we're going shopping!"

* * *

Ok, there's the next chapter. I had a lot of fun looking into the characters of Tony and Jan, and I hope that I got them right. Once again, my apologies if they are out of character.

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys! Wow, I'm on a roll now! I usually like to wait a day, but I just had to get this one out.

Thanks for the reviews guys. I was getting kinda worried that the last chapter wasn't up to standard, but if you guys are happy, then I'm happy.

Disclaimer: I only own Maggie.

:JARVIS:

'_reading'_

. . . . . . . . . Change in place.

* * *

As soon as Tony entered the meeting area, he headed straight for the table.

"JARVIS, pull up every piece of information that you can find on Maggie Wilcox."

:As you wish, sir.: Tony sat on the edge of the chair, elbows resting on the surface of the table and fingers crossed in front of his chin as information began to emerge on the holographic display. He frowned slightly as his eyes read through everything. He'd heard the name Wilcox before, but he couldn't place it.

"Is this everything?"

:All information on Miss Margaret Wilcox is right here sir. She doesn't appear to be a very well documented young lady.: Tony hummed, skimming through everything. His attention was caught by an article covered by one of the smaller newspaper companies, dated 12th June 2007. Five years ago last Tuesday. Upon his command, the story was brought forward. He read through it carefully.

'_Tragic fire leaves girl orphaned' _was the heading. He frowned in contemplation as he read.

'_A neighbourhood is left in a state of shock after what experts are calling a freak fire claimed the lives of two people in the early hours of yesterday morning, leaving a thirteen year old girl orphaned._

_Fire tore through the Wilcox household at around 1 am yesterday morning according to eyewitnesses. An elderly woman raised the alarm when she saw the flames out of her window. Despite desperate attempts by fire crews to extinguish the blaze, it was too late to save the lives of both Gemma and Shane Wilcox, mother and father of Margaret Wilcox, respectively. Neighbours are shocked by what has happened._

"_It's terrible," the 64 year old neighbour who raised the alarm, and does not wish to be named, tells us. "They were such a nice family, never any trouble. They always kept themselves to themselves, but always said hello whenever they saw anyone."_

"_It's just awful," she goes on to say. "Poor Maggie. She's a good kid, she doesn't deserve this. None of the family does."_

_Fire crews are still baffled as to what actually caused the blaze, and a spokesperson has stated that it is a miracle that the girl survived without a mark. It is believed that the fire started in the bedroom of Margaret Wilcox, but there is no sign of foul play...'_

Tony closed his eyes and leaned back. He'd read enough. Thirteen years old. Maggie had been thirteen when Hydra had kidnapped her. Could they have had something to do with this? It was possible. After all, if they'd done their research, they would know that, being pyrokinetic, Maggie probably wasn't going to be affected by the fire in the same way as everyone else, even going so far as to be immune to it. Again, only Maggie could answer that. It was a touchy subject, though, entirely different to the conversation they had just had. It was far more personal. He remembered the day his parents had died, how much he didn't want to talk to anyone about it, let alone complete strangers. God, he hadn't thought about that day in a long time. He hadn't been close to his father, not really. He'd been closer to his mother, and even then, both of his parents had sometimes been too busy for him. He sighed, immediately pushing the thought away. There was no use in comparing experiences. Maggie's was definitely the more tragic. From everything he'd read, they'd been a close family.

"Poor kid." Tony almost jumped out of his skin, swinging around in the chair so fast he very nearly fell out of it. If it hadn't been for the reactor in his chest, he felt sure he would have had a heart attack. He'd been so absorbed in his information gathering that he hadn't even noticed that he was no longer alone.

"Steve! I have a bad heart you know!" he exclaimed, clutching at his chest. He glared at the Captain. "What, have you been taking lessons from Panther or something?" Steve said nothing, his eyes fixed on the news article, his expression sombre. Tony brushed himself off and straightened up, turning back to the story.

"It's tragic, I know."

"You think Hydra had something to do with this?" Steve asked after a moment's reading.

"I dunno. It doesn't seem to be their usual MO, but since when have the bad guys ever stuck to routine?" Steve hummed. "You think they did?"

"I'm not sure. Back in the 40s, I knew when Hydra had a hand in a crime and when they didn't. But now, things have changed so much…even my old enemies are different." Tony looked at the Captain. Sometimes it was easy to forget that the blond wasn't from this time. He'd fitted in so well with the team that it almost felt as if he'd always been there. He looked back to the display. Steve sighed.

"Whatever happened, only Miss Wilcox can fill us in. How is she, anyway?" Tony smirked a little.

"A lot calmer. I think she's accepted the fact that she's safe here." Steve cocked an eyebrow, humour evident in his eyes.

"Safe? Here?" Tony sighed dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah, ok. As safe as she can be with a bunch of superheroes who are almost constantly attacked by super villains bent on world domination. Happy?" Steve simply smiled. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Do you know what she's up to now?" Tony looked back at him, a sly look in his eyes.

"Why the sudden interest, Cap?" Steve ignored the look the billionaire gave him.

"I'm curious, that's all." Tony leaned his hip against the side of the table, folding his arms and smiling.

"You know she's still a kid and you're technically an old man, right?" Steve blushed. Captain America actually blushed. Where was his camera? It would have been some great blackmail material.

"I don't mean like that. I'm just curious as to how she managed to escape from a Hydra facility." Tony cocked an eyebrow.

"She burned her way out. We saw the damage." A sudden realisation hit the billionaire. "Wait, wait, wait. You wanna know if she can fight, don't you? You wanna be the one to teach her." Steve cleared his throat.

"Aside from Panther and Hawkeye, I'm the only one who has formal combat training. And yes, I'd like to train her. We could use another member on this team, and her power could give us an advantage in the field." Tony grinned.

"Forever the soldier, huh? I was thinking the same, actually, about having her as a member of the Avengers. You know, before SHIELD get their hands on her." Steve turned to him.

"You think they'll try?"

"I wouldn't put it past Fury to try something like that. But it's not just that. It's something he said to me when I had that meeting with him, about looking after her, and that she could be useful. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that, and I'm trying to find out. Personally, I think he knows something that we don't, but he's making us do the hard work in finding out ourselves." Steve nodded. He looked sidelong at the billionaire, changing the subject somewhat.

"Speaking of training, how about I teach you how to fight, we were interrupted before." Tony backed away from him a couple of steps, hands raised.

"Oh no, no way. Not after last time. I have my armour and my weapons, and that's more than enough to take down any villains." Steve smiled, a knowing expression gracing his face. Tony looked at his watch. "Oh gee, would you look at the time. Pepper's expecting me at the office, you know, to do office work, paper work and all the other boring stuff she has me do. Gotta fly, Cap." Steve smiled and shook his head as Tony made his quick escape. Any excuse.

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Jan had seemingly decided that the best way to show the teenager around was literally from top to bottom. Starting with the roof based pool. Maggie squinted as they stepped out into the bright sunlight, stopping and stretching her arms out. She smiled, allowing the warmth to wash over her. She'd missed the sun. She'd been allowed outside only when she was being moved, and even then it was only brief. She opened her eyes to see Jan smiling at her. Grinning, Maggie bound up to her, not noticing that there were others there. She gasped and ran to the roof edge, looking out at the landscape.

"We're in New York? You didn't tell me we're in New York!" Jan laughed.

"I didn't know you wanted to know."

"Are you kidding? I was born in New…York…erm…hi?" Jan turned to where she was looking. She grinned as the great green form of Hulk pulled himself out of the pool. He simply grunted at the girl.

"Hey big guy. I'd like you to meet Maggie. Maggie this is Hulk." Maggie waved timidly, coming over to stand just behind Jan. He crossed his arms and stared at the girl, who seemed to shrink behind the shorter woman. Jan looked between them and placed her hands on her hips.

"Now Hulk, be nice." She sounded like she was talking to a child, much to Maggie's surprise.

"Hulk not nice. Hulk smash." Jan cocked her eyebrow at him.

"Don't make me zap you, big guy." Hulk actually smirked at that.

"Like to see you try, bug girl." Jan frowned.

"That's Miss Bug Girl to you, buster." She prodded him in his heavily muscled forearm. "And don't you forget it." Hulk simply rolled his eyes and stared at Wasp. Again, to Maggie's surprise, his eyes seemed to gleam with…something. Mischief, perhaps? Jan answered with a grin. Giving the teenager one last look over, Hulk turned and dove back into the pool, splashing the two with water. They both let out shrieks as they stood completely drenched.

"Hulk! You're gonna pay for that!" No answer. Jan turned to the teenager. "You ok?" Maggie nodded, and started laughing. Jan followed suit. Her head was suddenly covered with a towel. She yelped and ripped the offending thing off, turning to the grinning, non-costumed Clint.

"Thought you could use a towel, you look a bit wet."

"Oh, noticed that did you? You can't count though, there are two of us." Clint simply shrugged. Maggie shook her head.

"That's ok, Jan. I can dry." Jan turned to Maggie just as a small, weak flame encased her. Maggie closed her eyes and seemed to relax into it as the water evaporated in thin wisps of steam. It didn't look like the one Jan had seen earlier on that morning, it looked softer, more pleasant, but she was still worried. She didn't want the teenager collapsing on her. Clint, on the other hand, began backing away, hands raised.

"Hey, you're not gonna explode or anything are you?" Maggie's eyes opened and the flame immediately. She folded her arms and threw a heated stare at the archer.

"I might, if you annoy me enough." Clint opened his mouth to make some kind of remark, but Jan beat him to it.

"Are you ok?" Maggie nodded.

"That was only a weak fire, not a flare. It doesn't take as much energy to burn, well, not enough to exhaust me, anyway." Jan nodded, turning to Clint. He still eyed the teenager as if she was going to combust at any moment. The older woman punched him on his bare arm. He winced, rubbing the sore spot.

"Jeez, would you stop that? I need that arm for my arrows!"

"Stop being such a baby, Hawkeye." Maggie giggled, mixing with the rumbling that was Hulk's chuckle. Clint pouted at the both of them. He turned to Maggie.

"Ok, I can understand you not sticking up for me. You're new here. But you?" He turned and pointed at the giant form resting against the rim of the pool. "You're supposed to be on my side! Where's my back up, Jade Jaws?" Hulk simple smirked.

"You're on your own, bird brain."

"Bird brain? Who're you calling bird brain, chuckles? You wanna go, huh? C'mon, I can take you!" Hulk simply grinned and ducked back under water, ignoring the archer.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Jerk." Jan had had the brains enough to move both her and Maggie a safe distance away the moment the two began their banter. And good thing too, or they would have been soaked yet again by a Hulk-created wave. Clint, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He all but shrieked, in a manly way of course, when the wave crashed against him, drenching him instantly. Jan and Maggie laughed, descending back to the lower levels. They did hear Clint swear revenge, followed by a splash.

"Shouldn't we help him?"

"Who? Hulk and Hawkeye? Nah. They're always at it. You get used to it after a while. They're good friends, really." Maggie nodded and followed the woman.

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It impressed the teenager to no end just how big the mansion was. Seriously, the place was huge! Jan showed her through all the rooms, pointing out where the each of the Avenger's bedrooms were, and finally took her through to the lounge.

"Whoa, look at the size of that TV!" Jan smiled as Maggie slumped onto the sofa, sighing as she relaxed into the chair. All the excitement was beginning to tire her out.

"You're not done yet, are you? You haven't met the rest of the team, and I still have loads to show you." Maggie perked up.

"There's more?" Jan laughed.

"You bet there is!" She pulled a card from her pocket and held it over what looked like a scanner. Maggie had seen them dotted around the mansion, but hadn't thought to ask about them. To her utter amazement, the fireplace appeared to grow from the floor upwards to form an archway. A disembodied voice caught her attention.

:Welcome Miss Van Dyne, AKA Wasp:

"Jan? Who was that?"

"Oh, silly me. I forgot to introduce to JARVIS. He's the AI that runs the house. Tony created it. Say hi, JARVIS."

:Good day, Miss Wilcox, Miss Van Dyne. I trust everything is well?: Maggie scratched her head.

"Erm, yes? Thank you?"

:You're most welcome.: Jan stifled the laugh.

"C'mon, I have to show you the coolest part of this place. Be prepared to be amazed."

And Maggie was. The moment they stepped under the fireplace/arch, a door closed in a similar fashion to an elevator. Wait a minute. This was an elevator! And they were going…down? Jan smiled at the look of pure amazement plastered across the teen's features. It was good to have someone else who was just as excitable as she was. The elevator soon came to a stop.

"Ready?" Maggie nodded, following her out as soon as the doors opened.

"Whoa!" She thought the building was big!

"Maggie, welcome to our secret headquarters. Well, it isn't that secret, really, but you get the idea. C'mon." She followed the woman, wishing she had more eyes.

"That's the armoury, you know, for Iron Man. That over there is the lab for all the boring science stuff. Hey Hank!" Jan called. Hank barely looked up, totally engrossed by whatever he was looking at. The teenager saw Jan slump slightly, but it passed so quickly, she wasn't sure if she'd imagined it. Shaking her head, she followed Jan onwards.

They came to a large area that looked like a metal maze.

"Here's one of my favourite places. This is our Training room. Panther's down there training at the moment. Best to leave him to it, you can meet him later." They pressed on. Maggie cast one look back, catching sight of a man in a black cat suit. Turning around, she ran to catch up with the shorter woman, though her eyes were everywhere but in front of her. Not looking where she was going, she almost knocked into none other than Tony Stark, who was stood with Jan. He took hold of her shoulders and steadied her.

"Whoa, hey steady there kid," he said with a smile. There was something softer about his eyes this time round, sympathetic even. She smiled bashfully, brushing her hair behind her ear as he dropped his hold.

"Thanks Mr Stark." He raised an eyebrow.

"You're kidding me with the Mr Stark thing, right? I'm not in the office, or at a press conference. Just call me Tony." She nodded.

"Ok. Thanks, Tony."

"That's better." He smiled and began to walk away. Jan called after him.

"Tony! Hang on a sec!" He stopped and turned. "Have a favour to ask."

"Shoot."

"Maggie and me, we're going shopping and we need a ride in to town."

"Well, I was just heading straight over to my office, but what the heck. Sure I'll give you a ride. It just delays me being bored to death by the demon that is paperwork." Jan beamed.

"You're great, you know that?" He smiled, smug.

"I've been told. Numerous times." He winked at the teen, who blushed again. "Meet you upstairs in, say, ten minutes?"

"Are you kidding? We have to get Maggie some different clothes!" He rolled his eyes. He knew what that meant.

"Alright, half an hour, then. Gives you plenty of time." Jan sighed, but took the deal.

"Fine, see you in half an hour." He smiled and left.

"C'mon, Maggie. We're gonna have to cut our tour short. You can meet everybody else later." Taking her hand, Jan all but dragged her back to the elevator. Maggie had no choice but to follow. One thing was for sure, today was going to be full of activity.

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Ok guys, here's the next instalment. Thank you to my wonderful reviewers, you know who you are. Remember to review, guys!


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys. I'm so glad so many of you enjoy this story. This chapter gave me some trouble, but hopefully it worked out ok. Let me know.

Disclaimer: I only own Maggie.

. . . . .. .Change in place

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Half an hour. That's how long it had taken them to find something that looked right on the teenager. Numerous garments had been flung onto the bed in untidy piles; pairs of shoes scattered haphazardly across the floor and simply left to lay wear they landed, and multiple accessories of different colours, shapes and sizes lined up along the surface of the vanity desk. It had seemed like a hopeless task, a nigh on impossible task. Nothing seemed to suit the teenager, simply because everything they'd looked through was so…'Jan'. Finally, the choice had been made. Gone was the ugly grey garb, now lying rumpled and forgotten in the bin ("And good riddance" Jan had said). In its place, Maggie wore a simple, yet elegant, light green summer dress, spaghetti straps sitting on her shoulders, the skirt flowing around her knees. Around her waist, Jan had fastened a wide black belt, complete with diamante encrusted buckle. Upon her feet, she wore simple light green ballerina slippers adorned by a small black bow on the front of each shoe. They'd decided to keep her makeup natural and simply brushed her hair straight, sweeping her fringe to the side. Jan had commented that it was in dire need of a professional trim, and who had cut her hair anyway? Maggie had smiled, recounting how she'd managed to convince her captors to let her cut her hair, and how they had agreed when she'd suddenly and unexpectedly thrown a fireball at one of them through her door as they left. It had also been one of the times she'd almost escaped, but had been knocked unconscious with some form of anaesthetic gas.

She'd quickly changed the conversation after that, commenting on her new outfit with a wide grin. It wasn't perfect, but it was feminine, and not over the top. More importantly, Maggie liked it. Especially when Jan fastened a thin silver necklace with a tear-drop emerald around her neck. Maggie simply couldn't keep her eyes off the gem, and had hugged the older woman when she'd told her that she could keep the whole outfit. She was never going to wear it, she'd said.

Tony had liked it too, once he'd gotten over how different the teenager looked. Maggie had blushed as he stood and inspected her as if he were an art critic. She twirled on request and he'd nodded, stating that it was a vast improvement. The teenager had beamed, the happiest she could be.

. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . .. . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

The car ride to the shopping district was relaxed, which, Jan had stated, was because Tony's chauffeur was driving. Happy had apparently been visiting family for a while, and had stayed longer than he'd expected to due to 'unforeseen circumstances', something he'd never elaborated on. Tony didn't seem to mind at all; it had given him more of an excuse to drive himself everywhere. Or try to break the land-speed record, as Jan had put it. Happy's smirk didn't go unnoticed. Maggie had never seen a grown man pout before. On Tony, it was endearing, even if it was annoyingly childish when he whined 'you're all mean'. The teenager giggled but stayed quiet, content to listen to the light-hearted dispute.

After some friendly banter with the billionaire about his driving skills, Jan told the teenager where they would be going and what they were going to be doing, becoming as excited as the teenager herself. Tony had offered his own advice on where to shop if they wanted the best items. Jan simply cast him a sceptical glance, though there was humour in her eyes.

"What? You don't think I know something about shopping?"

"You only know because of Pepper." Tony shook his head and folded his arms.

"Completely beside the point." There was that pout again. Maggie wondered if he was just putting it on. He probably was.

"How is it, exactly?" Jan winked at the teenager when Tony huffed and looked away.

"It just is." Maggie grinned and tried desperately not to laugh at the billionaire's childish answer.

"Admit it, Tony. You only know about women's clothing and where to get it because Pepper's been educating you for the past…how long is it now? Ten years?" He shrugged and smiled.

"Ok, ok, you've got me there. Ah, here we are." Maggie had been so sucked into listening to the adults, she hadn't even realised that they had reached their destination. Pulling up along the street, she hopped out as the car came to a stop, followed closely by Jan. Tony scooted across the seat and leaned a small way out.

"Do you want picking up after your shopping trip, or are you going to make your own way back?" Jan scratched her head in thought.

"I can't say to be honest, Tony. I'll let you know." He nodded, closing the door and rolling down the window. He called the older woman before they began walking off.

"Jan, remember to call if there are any…problems. Ok?" She cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms, shifting her weight on to her right leg.

"Yes dad." He smirked at the sarcastic response before sobering again.

"I'm serious. I know you can handle it, but…you know." She nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. There was no reason to put Maggie into any unnecessary danger.

"Yeah, ok. Don't worry, Tony. Everything'll be fine." He frowned at her, though the smile was still there.

"Famous last words." Jan pointed at him accusingly.

"Don't go spoiling it. Have fun at the office." He grimaced.

"I'm sure I won't, but thanks for the sentiment. Don't go too mad." Jan grinned.

"Can't make any promises. Later, Tony!" With that, the window rolled up and the car pulled away. Jan clapped her hands together and turned to the teenager.

"Just you and me, Maggie. C'mon, let's get started. We only have a few hours of shopping left, and we still need to get you a new haircut. And something to eat. I'm starving." Maggie grinned, hooking her arm through the older woman's, easily keeping up with her excited pace.

… …...

"So, Hydra failed in their attempts? How interesting." A figure dressed completely in yellow stood at the murky, dusty window of an old warehouse that looked out upon the docklands. Seemingly derelict on the outside, inside the building was a different story. High tech laboratory equipment filled the area; the interior was clinical and unnatural with its bright lights and cold, unfeeling atmosphere. Perfect for the scientists that made up the group known as AIM. The Scientist Supreme turned from where he stood, watching those underneath him in rank as they worked with the equipment, running scans and doing tests on only they knew what. Clasping his hands behind his back, he turned to three men stood by him. They looked completely out of place, their green uniforms making them stand out from the yellow-clad group. The agent in front shifted, trying desperately to not look uneasy. The two stood behind him remained motionless, hands resting by their hips, fingers just brushing the butt of their guns. Why had he been given the task of seeking assistance from AIM? He always drew the short straw. The agent was simply glad that MODOK was no longer in the picture, having been captured by SHIELD. He wasn't too prideful to admit that the…creature had scared him. He cleared his throat, standing taller. The scientist simply turned back to his own group.

"Interesting, but not entirely surprising. Did you really think you could succeed in such a complicated experiment without the help of AIM?" The Hydra agent simply stood silently, narrowing his eyes at the taller man. The scientist chuckled.

"I didn't come here to be mocked," he all but growled.

"No, of course you didn't. Hydra failed in their attempt, and now Hydra seeks the assistance of AIM to clean up the mess. Need I remind you of what happened last time AIM and Hydra attempted to work together?" The agent huffed.

"Need I remind you what happened before was entirely the fault of AIM?" Both were silent for a moment. "Both groups can, and will, benefit from a joint operation."

"And what benefit is that?" Though the mask hid the scientist's face, the agent could tell that he was becoming intrigued, having let the comment slip.

"When we recapture the test subject, we will hand her over to you. You can use whatever science you require to create super soldiers for Hydra. Super soldiers powerful enough to bring the world to its knees, with the added bonus of giving us both the weapons needed to destroy SHIELD and the Avengers. Once and for all." The Scientist Supreme folded his arms and appeared in deep thought. He began laughing. The agent frowned.

"Others have made such claims, and, like you, have ultimately failed." The Hydra agent's arguments were cut off before they could begin. "However, SHIELD has been a thorn in AIM's side for a long time, as they have yours. And now, so are the Avengers. And I have a more…personal vendetta against Stark for locking me up like some common criminal." His fists clenched at the memory, but soon relaxed. The agent shifted again.

"Does that mean that Hydra can rely on the assistance of AIM?" He was silent for a moment.

"Unless Hydra betrays us again, yes." The agent gritted his teeth, not allowing the comment to anger him. Instead, he shook the scientist's hand in a vice like grip.

"Then it is settled." With no more said, the agent turned and signalled to those stood behind him that they were done. Ignoring the working group, they marched from the converted warehouse and disappeared into the outside world. The scientist once again turned to the window, looking out at the landscape. They would have to be prepared, especially if the information was true. He spun on his heel and addressed those around him.

"Attention all. We have been tasked with creating multi-powered super soldiers for Hydra. We will be receiving a new test subject soon. One with pyrokinetic capabilities. Be ready."

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Ok, the pace is beginning to change somewhat. Plans are beginning to be made. Watch this space.

Let me know what you thought. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Flames are controlled by Maggie.


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